There has been lots of gnashing of teeth over the activities of Elon Musk and his DOGE team. Critics seem more upset that the waste, fraud, and abuse are being exposed than they are about the waste, fraud, and abuse existing.
It's an odd psychology – akin to being upset with the person who tells you your spouse is cheating instead of being mad at your spouse.
It’s the latest manifestation of TDS – Trump Derangement Syndrome.
The Democrat Party, and elements of the deep administrative state, are deeply and actively opposed to not just any exposing, cutting, or stopping of the waste, fraud, and abuse – they appear to want it to continue. The Deep State – also called the Swamp – is not party-specific. This is a tier of career government workers that have come to believe and act as though they are the ones that run the country rather than the President of the United States and Congress.
President Trump recently spoke from the Oval Office after a cabinet meeting where there was discussion on the activities and operations of DOGE.
Those who want the status quo to remain can’t attack the American people who overwhelmingly (72%) want the government to be right-sized and more efficient, so their bogyman is Elon Musk. Trump's remarks appeared meant to show support for DOGE’s efforts and set some parameters for Cabinet members.
Trump said, “We had a great meeting. It was about cutting because everybody knows the country is way out of control in terms of the number of people. We have many people that don't work. We have many people, probably, that aren't even living, that are getting checks. We're finding all of that out, and it's being reported. We're going to save hundreds of billions of dollars. We've already saved a lot.”
Trump also talked about expired contracts still being paid and the “crazy” things that taxpayers have been paying for all over the world.
“The other thing is I want the cabinet members to keep good people. I don't want to see a big cut where a lot of good people get cut. I want the cabinet members to keep the good people and the people that aren't doing a good job, that are unreliable, don't show up to work, et cetera - those people can be cut,” Trump said.
Trump said, “I want them (the cabinet) to do the best job they can. We want them to keep the good people. We're going to be watching them. And, Elon and the group are going to be watching them.”
The president made it clear that he thinks it is better if the cabinet members make the decisions on the rightsizing themselves. “If they don't cut, then Elon will do the cutting,” said Trump.
Many presidents have tried and failed to set the federal government on a better footing and right-size spending and staff. All have failed to make any meaningful changes. They didn’t fail for lack of desire, but rather because the deep state has been successful waiting any effort out, slow walking action, and hiding information. Trump plans to succeed.
As the swamp moans and flails to protect itself from the disinfectant of the light, one of the most common complaints is that “Elon Musk in unelected”. Guess what, no other person in the executive staff is elected either. Only the president is elected and then he chooses his staff – some are confirmed by Congress and most are not. It has always been this way.